On the way to Essen Thomas and I had a lot of traffic problems and we were scared we wouldn't make it on time. 15 minutes before Touché Amoré started we finally arrived. To me, it was definetly worth the stressfull ride.
zaterdag 27 november 2010
donderdag 25 november 2010
SUPPORT!
Just wanted to introduce/inform all of you to the living doorway Blog!
They post some (interesting or not?) info on a record, always followed by a direct dwnld link to that record!
Just downloaded those hard to find records by ACME and MÖRSER :-)
They post some (interesting or not?) info on a record, always followed by a direct dwnld link to that record!
Just downloaded those hard to find records by ACME and MÖRSER :-)
zaterdag 20 november 2010
SUPPORT!
Since the beginning of Wolves And Rats KJM has done lay-outs, designed Logo's and Icons... Now you can check a lot of those items online here:
WOLVES AND RATS DOT COM
Go check and support!
WOLVES AND RATS DOT COM
Go check and support!
Artist profile: Thomas Reitmayer / by Thomas
This is the first artist profile of a (hopefully) long series. I decided to interview Austrian artist/designer/photographer/zinester/and allround cool guy Thomas Reitmayer simply because I love his work. I really liked his zine 'My so called life' at the end of the nineties/beginning of the noughties. I liked the music he released on his label 'Fire Walk With Me Records' (he already had me at the Twin Peaks reference) and I love GLW/DRK, the magazine he has been doing for the last couple of years. His writings and graphic work is truly inspiring. The records he released always looked awesome and the lay out of GLW/DRK Magazine is amazing.Be sure to check out his work:
http://www.glwdrk.com/coffeeandghosts/
http://www.glwdrk.com
http://glwdrk.blogspot.com/
Please introduce yourself. Tell us something about what you did/do/are planning to do.
My name is Thomas Reitmayer. I live and love and work in Wien. That's in Austria. I am - for lack of a better term – a graphic designer and/or "visual artist". I draw, paint, take photos, write, print, publish a magazine, and do small zines on my own or with friends. I eat, sleep, drink, skate, and read. I used to run a small record label back in the day, I co-own a record store and skate shop, I did some art shows, and I fucked up a lot of times. My plans… well, there will be a children's book in the near future that I am doing together with my friend Jo Snyder, based on a song by her old band Sixty Stories. More screenprints. More zines. More t-shirts. More travels. But above all, my biggest plan is being a good person and not an asshole.
What does your workplace/desk/... look like?
That depends on the day really... sometimes my desk looks super clean, like straight out of a designer furniture magazine, but mostly it's just a big mess. Right now, there's my keyboard, monitor and scanner on the desk, pens, a lot of books, magazines, a cup of coffee, an ashtray, envelopes and parcels, photo prints, negative strips, a lighter, more pens, a couple of CDs, and stacks of papers including (but not limited to) unpaid bills, to-do-lists, sketches, letters and just random doodles. There's a skateboard on the wall right above my monitor, some photos my friends took, and my mom's old typewriter and cans of spray paint next to me.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
This is a question I ask myself all the time. It usually has something to do with books and coffee. Old Blue Note jazz covers inspire me a lot, 60s advertisements, 70s porn mags, old shop signs on the street, found or stolen black and white family photos, abandoned buildings, long walks at night, travels, my love, my friends, my enemies, the list is endless and constantly changing. Oh, and no matter what anybody else says: skulls are always good!
Give us your top 5 artists.
Definitely Patrick Jilbert, an amazing human being, a great friend, and one of the very very few artists who can make me laugh. I just love this man. On the very same level: Elías Martínez, douchebag extraordinaire, and more punk than 99% of the world's population could ever hope to be. Apart from my friends, someone who has influenced me a lot has to be John Heartfield. I think it's safe to say that without him, there would be no such thing as "punk art", and not only because Discharge stole his stuff. Pushead. Todd Bratrud. Florian Bertmer. Above. Art Chantry. Michael Sieben. Sean Mahan. Apetown. Faile. John Yates. Sorry, that was more than 5...
You are quite busy with band and live photography and published a photobook. There's tons of people taking pictures at shows. But what makes a photographer a good photographer in your eyes?
Yes, I did a photo book with music photography. Not to sound like a jerk, but: been there, done that. I have been taking photos at shows for almost one and half decades, and it really bores me to death these days. There is only so much excitement you can get from looking at pictures of people holding instruments, and in most cases, these people and their music are completely random - and yes, I do miss charisma and personality. That said, I'd much rather take pictures of real people with real stories these days. Or buildings. Or things. But to answer your question, I really don't know what makes a photographer a good photographer. I have no clue. A good photo is a photo that moves me, that makes me feel something, whatever it is. You don't have to be technically perfect to take a good photograph, it's all about heart and soul and the way you look at things. Cell phone "photos", however, are a load of horse shit, just like "punk" kids taking a gazillion pictures with too much flash at a show, without even looking at who or what they are even shooting. You don't record an album without knowing how to play your guitar, so why would you take photos and not have clue how to handle the instrument that's your camera?
How important is DIY for you? What do those 3 little letters mean to you?
Very important! This is where I come from, this what shaped me, this is what made me the person I am today. Punk and DIY showed me a new world, made me do things, made me live and laugh and learn, and if it wasn't for the glory of DIY culture, I would probably still be working a 9 to 5 shit job. But it also is a question of getting older and re-evaluating your ideas and ideals: I have become both more and less radical. While I think my art itself has become more radical in the sense that it is uniquely my own and I have developed my own style, my ways of looking at certain things have definitely changed over the years. There is nothing wrong with creating pieces that are simply "good enough" if the client wants it this way, there is nothing wrong with making money, showing in galleries, and working for "the man". Everybody needs to pay their rent, but nobody will pat you on the shoulder and congratulate you for not "selling out" after you got your eviction notice. To get back to the point, I eat, sleep, breathe, and shit DIY on a daily basis, it's in my flesh and blood. But DIY does not and should not have to mean something looks like crap, DIY doesn't mean that you fuck over people and don't pay them, but if DIY is all about doing fun stuff on a grass roots level, giving away your stuff for cheap or free just to help someone or make them happy, if DIY means that you can go to a foreign city andbe able to sleep on complete strangers' floors just because you have something in common that's more than musical taste... yes, then this is my idea of DIY, and that will never ever change.
What's up with GLW/DRK?
I am putting the finishing touches on the layout for the new issue as we speak. I have been thinking about this time and time again, and everybody knows that these are bad times for the printed matter, but fuck it. I love paper. So, to let the cat out of the bag, GLW/DRK #5 will be two magazines packed together as one issue: a photo issue, and an interview issue. No columns, no articles, no reviews, no nothing, just the very core of it all. There are five interviews... Scott Bourne, Ed Templeton, Patrick Jilbert, Shelby Cinca, and Vic Bondi. If you don't know who these people are, look them up. Or wait until you read what they have to say. I am very fucking proud of these interviews, as they go way beyond the Q&A formula.
It's very "coming of age", trying to get to the human experience of it all, talking about real life and it's hardships and it's benefits, and not any superficial tour stories or bullshit like that.
Let's talk some Springsteen to close this short interview. What are your 5 favorite songs by the man and why do you love The Boss so much?
It's kind of ironic that I am answering this question today, which is Springsteen's 61st birthday. Why do I love the Boss so much? Well, this is maybe a question of getting older and growing up. I mean, one of the first albums I ever bought was "Born In The USA", and I still have it to this day. But - with a capital B - I didn't learn to appreciate the glory and genius of this music until only a couple of years ago to the full extent... let's be honest: Springsteen is punk, and Springsteen is emo, just like Dostojevski is emo, and just like Bukowski is punk. The Boss is unmatched when it comes to lyrical content, a love for words and language, and for amazing storytelling in 4 minutes or less. It has just to be said that Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen might be the most gifted lyricist of the 20th and 21st century, and yes, I am keeping giants like Woody Guthrie or Hank Williams or Johnny Cash or Joe Strummer in mind when I am saying that, and shit, I'll even stand in front of Chuck D and tell him the same thing. And dear sir, it's more than hard to name only five songs, because - in my book - at least 25 of the greatest rock and roll (or related) songs of all times are Boss songs, but there you go, in no particular order: "Born To Run", top of the list. Hands down THE best song ever written, performed, and recorded... and I mean in the history of music itself! "The River", any version, any time, simply mindblowing. Of course "No Surrender". Lyrical genius! Then I'll take "Atlantic City", which is maybe the most calm punk song I know. Listen closely, and you'll know what I mean. The fifth one is a very close tie, but "Hungry Heart" just has to be on the list, for purely personal reasons. I wouldn't be the same person without this song.
(Interview by Thomas - Pictures by Daniela Rotheneder-Stari)
http://www.glwdrk.com/coffeeandghosts/
http://www.glwdrk.com
http://glwdrk.blogspot.com/
Please introduce yourself. Tell us something about what you did/do/are planning to do.
My name is Thomas Reitmayer. I live and love and work in Wien. That's in Austria. I am - for lack of a better term – a graphic designer and/or "visual artist". I draw, paint, take photos, write, print, publish a magazine, and do small zines on my own or with friends. I eat, sleep, drink, skate, and read. I used to run a small record label back in the day, I co-own a record store and skate shop, I did some art shows, and I fucked up a lot of times. My plans… well, there will be a children's book in the near future that I am doing together with my friend Jo Snyder, based on a song by her old band Sixty Stories. More screenprints. More zines. More t-shirts. More travels. But above all, my biggest plan is being a good person and not an asshole.
What does your workplace/desk/... look like?
That depends on the day really... sometimes my desk looks super clean, like straight out of a designer furniture magazine, but mostly it's just a big mess. Right now, there's my keyboard, monitor and scanner on the desk, pens, a lot of books, magazines, a cup of coffee, an ashtray, envelopes and parcels, photo prints, negative strips, a lighter, more pens, a couple of CDs, and stacks of papers including (but not limited to) unpaid bills, to-do-lists, sketches, letters and just random doodles. There's a skateboard on the wall right above my monitor, some photos my friends took, and my mom's old typewriter and cans of spray paint next to me.
Where do you find inspiration for your work?
This is a question I ask myself all the time. It usually has something to do with books and coffee. Old Blue Note jazz covers inspire me a lot, 60s advertisements, 70s porn mags, old shop signs on the street, found or stolen black and white family photos, abandoned buildings, long walks at night, travels, my love, my friends, my enemies, the list is endless and constantly changing. Oh, and no matter what anybody else says: skulls are always good!
Give us your top 5 artists.
Definitely Patrick Jilbert, an amazing human being, a great friend, and one of the very very few artists who can make me laugh. I just love this man. On the very same level: Elías Martínez, douchebag extraordinaire, and more punk than 99% of the world's population could ever hope to be. Apart from my friends, someone who has influenced me a lot has to be John Heartfield. I think it's safe to say that without him, there would be no such thing as "punk art", and not only because Discharge stole his stuff. Pushead. Todd Bratrud. Florian Bertmer. Above. Art Chantry. Michael Sieben. Sean Mahan. Apetown. Faile. John Yates. Sorry, that was more than 5...
You are quite busy with band and live photography and published a photobook. There's tons of people taking pictures at shows. But what makes a photographer a good photographer in your eyes?
Yes, I did a photo book with music photography. Not to sound like a jerk, but: been there, done that. I have been taking photos at shows for almost one and half decades, and it really bores me to death these days. There is only so much excitement you can get from looking at pictures of people holding instruments, and in most cases, these people and their music are completely random - and yes, I do miss charisma and personality. That said, I'd much rather take pictures of real people with real stories these days. Or buildings. Or things. But to answer your question, I really don't know what makes a photographer a good photographer. I have no clue. A good photo is a photo that moves me, that makes me feel something, whatever it is. You don't have to be technically perfect to take a good photograph, it's all about heart and soul and the way you look at things. Cell phone "photos", however, are a load of horse shit, just like "punk" kids taking a gazillion pictures with too much flash at a show, without even looking at who or what they are even shooting. You don't record an album without knowing how to play your guitar, so why would you take photos and not have clue how to handle the instrument that's your camera?
How important is DIY for you? What do those 3 little letters mean to you?
Very important! This is where I come from, this what shaped me, this is what made me the person I am today. Punk and DIY showed me a new world, made me do things, made me live and laugh and learn, and if it wasn't for the glory of DIY culture, I would probably still be working a 9 to 5 shit job. But it also is a question of getting older and re-evaluating your ideas and ideals: I have become both more and less radical. While I think my art itself has become more radical in the sense that it is uniquely my own and I have developed my own style, my ways of looking at certain things have definitely changed over the years. There is nothing wrong with creating pieces that are simply "good enough" if the client wants it this way, there is nothing wrong with making money, showing in galleries, and working for "the man". Everybody needs to pay their rent, but nobody will pat you on the shoulder and congratulate you for not "selling out" after you got your eviction notice. To get back to the point, I eat, sleep, breathe, and shit DIY on a daily basis, it's in my flesh and blood. But DIY does not and should not have to mean something looks like crap, DIY doesn't mean that you fuck over people and don't pay them, but if DIY is all about doing fun stuff on a grass roots level, giving away your stuff for cheap or free just to help someone or make them happy, if DIY means that you can go to a foreign city andbe able to sleep on complete strangers' floors just because you have something in common that's more than musical taste... yes, then this is my idea of DIY, and that will never ever change.
What's up with GLW/DRK?
I am putting the finishing touches on the layout for the new issue as we speak. I have been thinking about this time and time again, and everybody knows that these are bad times for the printed matter, but fuck it. I love paper. So, to let the cat out of the bag, GLW/DRK #5 will be two magazines packed together as one issue: a photo issue, and an interview issue. No columns, no articles, no reviews, no nothing, just the very core of it all. There are five interviews... Scott Bourne, Ed Templeton, Patrick Jilbert, Shelby Cinca, and Vic Bondi. If you don't know who these people are, look them up. Or wait until you read what they have to say. I am very fucking proud of these interviews, as they go way beyond the Q&A formula.
It's very "coming of age", trying to get to the human experience of it all, talking about real life and it's hardships and it's benefits, and not any superficial tour stories or bullshit like that.
Let's talk some Springsteen to close this short interview. What are your 5 favorite songs by the man and why do you love The Boss so much?
It's kind of ironic that I am answering this question today, which is Springsteen's 61st birthday. Why do I love the Boss so much? Well, this is maybe a question of getting older and growing up. I mean, one of the first albums I ever bought was "Born In The USA", and I still have it to this day. But - with a capital B - I didn't learn to appreciate the glory and genius of this music until only a couple of years ago to the full extent... let's be honest: Springsteen is punk, and Springsteen is emo, just like Dostojevski is emo, and just like Bukowski is punk. The Boss is unmatched when it comes to lyrical content, a love for words and language, and for amazing storytelling in 4 minutes or less. It has just to be said that Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen might be the most gifted lyricist of the 20th and 21st century, and yes, I am keeping giants like Woody Guthrie or Hank Williams or Johnny Cash or Joe Strummer in mind when I am saying that, and shit, I'll even stand in front of Chuck D and tell him the same thing. And dear sir, it's more than hard to name only five songs, because - in my book - at least 25 of the greatest rock and roll (or related) songs of all times are Boss songs, but there you go, in no particular order: "Born To Run", top of the list. Hands down THE best song ever written, performed, and recorded... and I mean in the history of music itself! "The River", any version, any time, simply mindblowing. Of course "No Surrender". Lyrical genius! Then I'll take "Atlantic City", which is maybe the most calm punk song I know. Listen closely, and you'll know what I mean. The fifth one is a very close tie, but "Hungry Heart" just has to be on the list, for purely personal reasons. I wouldn't be the same person without this song.
(Interview by Thomas - Pictures by Daniela Rotheneder-Stari)
maandag 15 november 2010
Short interview with Make Do And Mend / by Lisa
A while ago I emailed the great band Make Do And Mend to ask them some questions.
Coincidence led me to James.
[The period I was communicating with James MDAM was booked on 14 January 2010 by No Decline Bookings. The headliner of the show is The Effort. MDAM suppose to go on tour with Lemuria but Lemuria had to cancel their tour (I don’t know why). So MDAM decided to make a deal with Avocado Bookings and cancel for the show on the 14th , but they’ll tour through Europe . Now I can’t find any information about where and when this tour is happening. All I know is that should are booked together with ‘The Sleeping’. So if you know it, contact me. I was so bummed they cancelled the tour, and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
But, the show must go on. On 14 January we still have these band to make you happy: [THE EFFORT-DOWNPRESSER-CORNERED-AT DAGGERS DRAWN-HESSIAN]
-Introduce yourself please:
My name is James. I am 23 and I play guitar and sing Make Do and Mend. We have been a band for about 5 years now
-5 years ago, did you expected to be this far with your band where you are now?
I was thinking yesterday, 18 year old me would be so stoked on 23 year old me. I always dreamt of playing in a touring band so needless to say this is a dream come true. Coming over to Europe is one of the most amazing opportunities that I have ever been afforded. I feel extremely fortunate.
I was thinking yesterday, 18 year old me would be so stoked on 23 year old me. I always dreamt of playing in a touring band so needless to say this is a dream come true. Coming over to Europe is one of the most amazing opportunities that I have ever been afforded. I feel extremely fortunate.
-Have you already been in Europe for travelling? What do you expect from it?We are scheduled to tour Europe for the first time this December. To be perfectly honest, I don't know what to expect. I just know that we are all extremely grateful for the opportunity. We have heard from friends that Europe is an incredible place to play shows. We are really looking forward to making some new friends.
maandag 8 november 2010
My top 5 Fugazi songs/ by Thomas
Fugazi has always been one of my all time favorite bands. I read about them when I was 13 years old and found ‘repeater’ and ‘steady diet of nothing’ in the local library, taped the albums and listened to them endlessly. A friend of my sister had all the albums on cd and borrowed them to me. A whole new world opened up for me. I bought every album and EP they released and listened to them over and over again. They’re one of the most inspiring bands out there. When I got ‘Dance of days’ (the book about the whole DC punkscene) I first read it entirely and then read all the parts about Fugazi, Minor Threat, Ian Mackaye and Dischord Records again. There’s something very inspiring about how this whole scene developed and I think I could write an entire zine about how it all influenced me. But now I want to talk about Fugazi, and more specifically my top 5 Fugazi songs.
Turnover (from the album Repeater, 1990):
Choosing my 5 favourite songs out of their immense backcatalogue wasn’t easy but this is without a doubt my number one. I’ve always loved the way Fugazi opened their albums. Every first song on every album immediately grabs your attention. ‘Turnover’ is the first song on ‘Repeater’ and it starts with some quiet muted guitarchords and a dubby bassriff and drumpart. After 30 seconds the leadguitar cuts in and Guy Picciotti (what an amazing voice by the way) starts yelling/singing. That main guitarriff sounded like an alarm to me and woke me up. This is the first Fugazi song I ever heard and it’s still my favourite. There was no way back after I heard this for the first time.
Waiting Room (from the selftitled EP, 1988):
Probably the most well known Fugazi song. This is an anthem, nothing more, nothing less. It has all the ingredients to be a classic: the groovy bassriff in the intro, Ian Mackaye’s awesome voice and lyrics and a chorus that was made to singalong to. I love the videofootage of Fugazi playing this song live with Guy Picciotti dancing (he didn’t play guitar yet) and singing backing vocals.
Forensic scene (from the album Red Medicine, 1995)
This is a slower and moodier song with an extremly catchy chorus. When I first got into Fugazi I only had 2 years of english education in school and I remember that I thought that there were way too much difficult words in this song. Years later I understand the words but I still don’t get what this song is about. Guy Picciotti’s lyrics are way more cryptic than the one’s written by Ian Mackaye, which are more direct. So I have no clue what this song is about but I love it!
KYEO (from the album Steady diet of nothing, 1991)
Another Ian Mackaye anthem! I always feel the urge to sing along when I hear Ian Mackaye sing. I love the guitarriff this song is based on. I think I’ve whistled this riff about a thousand times. This is the last song on ‘Steady diet of nothing’ and the album definetely ends with a banger! WE WILL NOT BE BEATEN DOWN!!
Burning (from the selftitled EP, 1988 / 20 years of Dischord Records cd box, 2002)
I especially love the live version of this song which is on disc 3 of the ’20 years of Dischord records’ cd box. The way Picciotti yells ‘this one’s for Fire Party’ and then the feedback of Mackaye’s guitar blasting to my stereo always give me the chills. This is an awesome song that starts with a basic guitar and bass riff and a slow rythm but bursts into a fest of feedback, noise and Picciotti’s typical singing/yelling near the end. Awesome!
5.
B
My Top 5 / by KJM
My top 5... Series!
When people ask me if I watch television at night, i'll always say no. And that's true, I don't watch the news or any soap on the network... however I do watch the better series from Showtime and HBO! It's an addiction! I spent approx 1.5 to 2 hours in front of the television. And for the moment that's for "Nurse Jacky". Not in the top 5 but close, very close... The irony, the conversations and the acting... very nice! Definitely in my top 10 for this year! Another one that didn't make it is "The Big Bang Theory". Man you gotta love Sheldon! To smart for this world and his three best friends (who're all nerds deluxe...) and then there's Shelley... She lives across the hall and throws their world around. Hilarious!
Oh yeah, I don't have the Wire in my top 5. Why? I watched episode 1 and 2 of the first season and... It sucked. I'm not down with it, I've seen so many series that are so much better. Could it be that season 4 is the shit? Yes, it can, but I started with season 1 and it sucked... Either way, this is my Top 5, not yours. ;-)
Attention! If you're gonna watch one of the series mentioned here under I should warn you that I'll be digging up some scenes, so... spoiler alert!
5. The Sopranos, 6 seasons...
Tony Soprano, you gotta love him. A mobster boss that kills without hesitating but with the occasional anxiety attack. Goes to a shrink, the loveable Doctor Melfi and that is equally not done as a mobster boss licking pussy.
Aaight I had to start with the dirty talk (and believe me there's plenty of dirty talk) but here we go, Tony runs the New Jersey side of the family after Boss Aprile dies of cancer (the irony, a mobster boss that dies of disease and not because of bullets). It goes with ups and downs, the ups are his lucrative businesses, his titty bar and his Russian mistress, the downs, off course his anxiety attacks and the relation with his mother and Corrado (his uncle). To give you a summary of 6 seasons (approx 52 minutes/ episode) is not possible but let me give you this scene:
Imagine you're in a titty bar, naked boobs all over, and italian-americans having fun, one -Ralphie- looses it when his girlfriend talks about a life together. He drags her outside and beats the shit out of her, eventually she dies on the parkinglot behind the titty bar… Oh yeah did I tell you she was pregnant? Pretty violent and bloody I'll have to tell you... Anyway there are more scenes of Christopher choosing the mob above his wife, Tony Soprano's daughter having a relationship with a colored boy, Adriana on her last trip... but I had to choose.
The cast is incredible, amongst them are Steven van Zandt (guitarist of Bruce Springsteen) and Steve Buscemi! To me the fourth season is the least interesting, that came right after 9/11 and you have the feeling that they mellowed down, a lot straight forward and less violence. But season 5 and 6 makes up for it! Nice DVD boxes available ;-)
4. Weeds, 6 seasons and running...
The suburbs, higher class, big houses with swimming pool... That's the setting. A young wife (not bad looking, early 40's) has a son of 16 and a son of 10. The father (who was the main earner for the family -he wanted his wife to stay at home with the kids) recently died... That's the situation. On the one side there's a lot of grief, on the other side there's the fact that our dearest housewife has no clue how to earn money since she didn't work for ages. Eventually she chooses the most lucrative business to earn some quick money: selling weed!
The 6th season just started airing early August. Again no summary but take this in mind, a (rather) young mom, tries to play with the dealers. She provides the high society of their weed during half time at the kids their soccer matches. She wins lots of money but looses even more, goes on a drive by shooting in her Prius and drinks lots and lost of coffee... with a straw. Mom is trying to get her life on the rails, giving her sons the things they need and trying to find a decent boyfriend. And that last thing will be one of the hardest things to accomplish. She finds, in this order, a Policeman that works for Narcotics, her “weedplantgrower”, her brother in law and a gangster/mayor at the Mexican border... Go figure!
Awesome dialogues, sarcasm and irony in one sentence and some great acting. Each episode is around 25 minutes so you'll only need 2 days to watch a whole season ;-)
3. True Blood, 3 seasons and running...
Now this is my newest addiction! One of the better series in a long time. I see this one taking place 2 by the end of the year ;-)
A middle of nowhere town called Bon Temps, the setting. Vampires coming out of the closet, the situation... Really this is by far on off the best -visual- series and it starts with the begin tune by Jace Everett (love that song!). Very warm colours, high contrast, very nice details, cocaïne ain't the shit anymore, V is (Vampire blood), vampires drink True Blood (can be ordered in any bar even in Bon Temps) and that is... True Blood! So you get a lot of situations, a hint to what we have and feel with Racism (as in "I'm not a racist but...). Next to the (thirsty) Vampires you have some locals with special abilities (mind reading, shapeshifters, a goddess of lust?).
I'm in the second season (3rd season is running as we speak) and already a lot of memorable scenes. I remember a lot of great discussions about death, about love, about sex and... Eternity. One scene to remember is an overdose on V (which gives you a very high, strong libido) that leads to an everlasting erection. That dick eventually needed to be drained, 2 full tubes of blood, and then pressure released directly through the peeing hole with a tube. FUCK.
As said a show that grows on you with it's great warm images, abstract discussions, explicit sex scenes and a very own vampire slang! Anna Paquin (X-Men) has the role of her life here. The Twilight saga is nothing compared to this ;-).
2. Six Feet Under, 5 seasons...
This one had me chained to the television for a long time. I watched all 5 seasons in one time and it was amazing. [Spoiler Alert] I cried the last 3 episodes of the last season!
A family morgue, small business trying to keep their heads above water, the setting. The pater familias dies and with this event he brings the family (that doesn't know how to act or communicate as a family) back together under the same roof, the setting. O yeah, one of the sons (Michael C Hall - aka DEXTER) is gay and hasn't told it yet.
Dark humour, sarcasm, gay love and explicit language, stupid ass decisions and hilarious interludes, a recipe that works! It's strange at first to see them prepare the dead for viewing, and it's even stranger (when they work with a world that happens in the characters mind) to see those dead people suddenly opening their eyes and communicate, but you get used to it and start loving those scenes. Each character has it's own twist of mind. The mom reveals an affair she had for a long time. The daughter is up on drugs and drives a green Hearse, the gay son is your loveable son in law undertaker during the day, a gay with beastly lusts at night, and the older son... well he has brain damage.
Everything comes together very well, great stories, every episode always starts with a death which sets the tone for the episode. Really, the undertaking business has no secrets at the end and seems as a normal 9-5 job. The strangest thing was to see Michael C Hall play a gay undertaker, I saw Dexter first and know him as a serial killer so...
Aaight, not to be missed! One of the best series of all time, promise!
1. Dexter, 5 seasons and running...
I'm watching episode 6 of season 5 as we speak...
Man where do I start? Miami metro police department, the setting. In that police department works Dexter, blood-spatter annalist during the day, serial killer at night, the situation...
When I first heard of Dexter I was so curious to see this. You'll adore, believe, encourage a serial killer! I was stunned. And when I finally bought the box of the first season... I was blown away, I think we saw the whole first season in 3 days. We refused to go to sleep even though it was a working week. The imagery is so well done, great locations that give a mix of desolate landscapes in the everglades, old warehouses etc... next to the fanciest places in Miami, exquisite yachts and others.
Now why is this my number 1? Well 2 things. First, I never thought it was possible that you support a serial killer. Really, I truly hope he never gets caught, the man is on a mission! Second, each new season is better then the previous one. There are series that just milk the cow and eventually you give up... The writers for Dexter have been re-inventing themselves with every new season. The floor beneath his feet keeps getting hotter, new challenges, new personal problems, new friends... The suspense really is top of the shelf! I can't just pick one scene so I'll go for every scene where he plays the family guy next to any scene where he slices up people and wraps them up in black plastic foil... Oh yeah I always enjoy the scenes where he is analysing the blood patterns (to determine murder weapon and stuff). He has these huge sheets of paper on the wall with the splatters on, awesome shit!
Michael C Hall plays Dexter himself and produces the series for Showtime. This role has earned him several Emmy nominations and eventually he won a Golden Globe award in 2009. I'm telling you, drop CSI, Dexter is the shit!
And that's it! feel free to comment, again this my top 5, not yours, but I am curious to hear more top 5's...
KJM>
zondag 7 november 2010
This time it's WAR!
Well Wolves And Rats ain't dead! How about that? I should really thank Thomas and Lisa for that. They still believe in the WAR project and are now on my left and right-hand side... Thank you "chers amis"...
For now we will try to fill this blog with random thoughts, page filled columns, interviews and lots of digital collages and such... I also wonna try and leave some pdf lay-outed pages, that way you can gather everything and print your own WAR copy!
Allright I'm gonna leave it with that, you'll get the hang of this in time... Keep visiting, keep contributing (!)... support! Everything WAR related can be asked or proposed through: info@wolvesandrats.com.
Okay, this is it don't get scared now
WAR
For now we will try to fill this blog with random thoughts, page filled columns, interviews and lots of digital collages and such... I also wonna try and leave some pdf lay-outed pages, that way you can gather everything and print your own WAR copy!
Allright I'm gonna leave it with that, you'll get the hang of this in time... Keep visiting, keep contributing (!)... support! Everything WAR related can be asked or proposed through: info@wolvesandrats.com.
Okay, this is it don't get scared now
WAR
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